The Most Iconic Olympic Moments of the Past 100 Years

Terry Kubicka's first backflip on ice. Michael Phelps's first medals. Gabby. These are the triumphs that keep us tuning in.

By
Brie Dyas

Jul 31, 2016

Getty

In honor of the upcoming Rio Olympics, we're taking a glimpse into the events that changed history.

1 of 45

1916: The Olympics That Weren't

Due to World War I, the year's Games — which were scheduled to be in Berlin — were canceled. Yet, in true Olympics fashion, a stadium was planned years in advance before this decision was made (this 1913 parade dedicates the very structure). This won't be the first time the games aren't held due to war, either. Both the Summer and Winter Games in 1940 and 1944 were canceled in light of World War II.

This year's Summer Games had the distinction of having a week of winter sports (such as ice hockey and figure skating). Of the many notables that year, British competitor Albert Hill won two gold medals — but was nearly not allowed to compete for being "too old" at 31. Yet no one said a word about Oscar Swahn, a 72-year-old Swedish shooter who took home a silver medal that year.

3 of 45

Topical Press Agency

1924: Chamonix, France

At the first official Winter Olympics (though it would only be recognized as such after the fact, two years later), American Charles Jewtraw (third from right, above) brought home the very first gold medal after he won the 500 meter speed skating competition.

4 of 45

Central Press

1924: Paris, France

America was the dominant force of the Summer Games, specifically in the track and field events, and brought home 32 medals in total. American Harold Osborn was just one of the many winners, winning gold in the high jump.

5 of 45

Alfred Gross/ullstein bild

1928: St. Mortiz, Switzerland

While the '24 Winter Games were retroactively labeled the "First" Winter Olympics, it was 1928's Winter Games that got the official nod for this title for being held in a completely different country than the Summer Games. In 1928, Japan made its Olympics debut, and a 15-year-old competitor named Sonje Henie became the youngest winner of an individual event for her figure skating victory. Henie's record would stand for 74 years.

This year marked the first time women were allowed to compete in track and field events (here, American runner Elizabeth Robinson wins the 100 meter race). However, the hard-fought achievement came with a setback: After observing a few exhausted competitors after the 800 meter races, officials prohibited women from running races longer than 200 meters ... all the way up until 1960.

7 of 45

FPG

1932: Lake Placid, New York

It was a sweep for American speed skater Irving Jaffee, who won the gold for both the 5000 and 10000 meter events.

8 of 45

Sportbild Schirner /ullstein bild

1932: Los Angeles, California

An icon was made when Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson won two golds in the javelin and hurdles, along with a silver in the high jump.

9 of 45

Apic

1936: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

Organized by Adolf Hitler, an ominous tone defined these Winter Games. (Though it wasn't as infamous as the Summer Games that year.) Norwegian speed skater Ivar Ballangrud swept the 1500, 5000, 10000-meter events, and also earned a silver in the 1500-meter.

10 of 45

Universal History Archive/UIG

1936: Berlin, Germany

Hitler used the Summer Games (which were the first ever to be televised) as an opportunity to spread propaganda. Boycotts leading up to the events were unsuccessful. Yet, there was a brief moment of hope when Jesse Owens won four gold medals and set a world record in the long jump.

11 of 45

Mark Kauffman/The LIFE Picture Collection

1948: St. Mortiz, Switzerland

These Winter Games were the first Olympiad held after World War II. The United States took the spotlight with its first figure skating gold as the gravity-defying Dick Button landed the first double axel in competitive history.

12 of 45

AFP

1948: London, UK

Youth won again when American 17-year-old Bob Mathias (center) became the youngest track athlete ever to win an event: the decathlon.

13 of 45

ullstein bild

1952: Oslo, Norway

Dick Button enjoyed another victory and landed the first ever triple loop. But the real story that year was Norwegian speed skater Hjlamar Andersen, who won three medals and notably the 5000 meter and 10000 meter events by record margins.

14 of 45

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone

1952: Helsinki, Finland

Czech distance running icon Emil Zapotek became the only person ever to win the 5000 meter, 10000 meter and marathon events in the same Olympiad. We are exhausted just thinking about this impressive feat!

15 of 45

STAFF/AFP/Getty Images

1956: Cortina, Italy

Though the 1936 Games were the first to be televised, the 1956 Winter Games were the first to be broadcast to a multi-national audience. Thousands tuned in to see Austrian Toni Sailer become the first Alpine skier to win three gold medals.

16 of 45

ullstein bild

1956: Melbourne, Australia

Australian Betty Cuthbert won three gold medals in the 200 meter , 4x100 meter and 100 meter events.

History was made when the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey team won its first gold. Meanwhile, women were allowed to compete in speed skating for the first time.

18 of 45

Central Press / Stringer

1960: Rome, Italy

American boxer Muhammad Ali won a gold in the light heavyweight boxing division. Ethopian runner Abebe Bikila won the marathon — while running barefoot.

19 of 45

STAFF/AFP/Getty Images

1964: Innsbruck, Austria

It had only been four years since women were allowed to compete in speed skating, but a sweep was already upon the category when Russian Lidiya Pavlovna Skoblikova topped all four women's speed skating events.

20 of 45

Keystone/Getty Images

1964: Tokyo, Japan

Future heavyweight champion Joe Frazier won a gold in boxing. Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina became the most decorated Olympian after wining two gold medals, a silver and two bronze medals, which brought her career medal count to 18.

21 of 45

Express Newspapers

1968: Grenoble, France

Figure Skater Peggy Fleming won the only gold medal for Team USA in the ladies singles. Meanwhile, at the 500 meter speed skating event, there was a curious sight at the podium: three silver medalists. American competitors Mary Meyers, Dianne Holum and Jennifer Fish all finished with the same time in the final (46.3).

22 of 45

Universal History Archive

1968: Mexico City, Mexico

American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos finished first and third, respectively, in the 200 meter dash. On the podium, they defiantly raised their fists in solidarity of the Black Freedom Movement in the United States. This moment would be considered one of the most overt political statements made at the Games.

23 of 45

STAFF/AFP

1972: Sapporo, Japan

Sweeps were abound, as USSR skiier Galina Kulakova won all three women's cross country events and Norwegian speed skater Ard Schenk also won three golds.

24 of 45

Mondadori Portfolio / Contributor

1972: Munich, Germany

Though Mark Spitz set an Olympic record with seven gold medals, the Summer Games were marred with the murder of 11 Israeli athletes by the Black September offshoot of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

25 of 45

Tony Duffy / Staff

1976: Innsbruck, Austria

It was an exciting year for figure skating. Dorothy Hamill won the women's singles gold medal, while Terry Kubicka nailed the first backflip in competitive figure skating history.

26 of 45

Tony Duffy / Staff

1976: Montreal, Canada

Fourteen-year-old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci received the first ever perfect score in the uneven bars to win the All Around competition. The most iconic moment of the Summer Games, however, was when Caitlyn (then Bruce) Jenner won the decathlon with a world record score of 8,618 points.

27 of 45

Steve Powell / Staff

1980: Lake Placid, New York

In a stunning upset, the U.S. Men's National Hockey team defeated the USSR National Team in what was later called "The Miracle On Ice." Elsewhere on ice: Speed skater Eric Heiden became the first and only person to win five gold medals in a Winter Olympics.

28 of 45

STAFF / Staff

1980: Moscow, Russia

A boycott, led by the United States, overshadowed much of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Aleksandr Dityatin became the first person to score eight medals in a single Olympiad, in every men's gymnastics event.

29 of 45

David Madison / Contributor

1984: Sarajevo, Yugoslavia

Skier Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi-Hämäläinen of Finland became the only woman to compete in six different Olympiads. She took home three golds and a bronze.

30 of 45

Mondadori Portfolio / Contributor

1984: Los Angeles, California

Carl Lewis won four gold medals in the 4x100 meter, 100 meter, 200 meter and long jump events. However, Mary Lou Retton, on an injured knee, became the star of the Games after winning gold in the all-around, which capped a five-medal performance.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.